Spray gun



July 3, 1951 w. P. DALRYMPLE 2,559,407

A SPRAY GUN Filed March 14, 1947 :s sheets-sheet 1 WILUA'M P. DALRYMPLE ATTORNEYS July 3, 1951 w. P. DALRYMPLE 2,559,407

SPRAY GUN Filed Marc 4, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM P. DALRYM PLE ATTORNEYS July 3, 1951 w. P. DALRYMPLE SPRAY GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 14, 1947 ATTORNEYS Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAY GUN Application March 14, 1947, Serial No. `'734,819

3 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to spraying devices and more particularly to spray guns ofthe type adapted to spray a coating material such as paint, or the like, in a finely divided and controlled spray.

It is the primary object of my invention to afford a novel spray gun which is relatively light in weight, can be easily handled andvoperated, and wherein the regulating and control valves, although being readily accessible to the operator, are in close fitting alignment with the gun so that they do not protrude therefrom in an objectionable manner and, therefore, are protected from being accidentally struck and thereby unintentionally dislodged from their desired settings during normal operation of the gun.

It is another object of my invention to afford a spray gun wherein the pattern of the spray discharged therefrom maybe varied in a novel and expeditious manner by turning the nozzle ofthe gun to thereby shift the pattern, and an object ancillary to the foregoing is to afford a spray gun wherein the nozzle may be turned without varying the othersettngs of the gun.

A further object of my invention is to= construct a spray gun wherein a master control valve is embodied inthe body of the gun wherein a relatively large valve can be effectively used, and which valve is operable to efficiently regulate the pressure of the air flowingto the nozzle to values within the desired'limits.

Anotherobject of my` invention is to construct a spray gun wherein the principal needlevalve, controlling the flow of paint from the nozzle of the gun, is of a floating type which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which will adjust itself for minor misalignments in the gun.

An object ancillary tothe foregoing isto associate the previouslymentioned needle valve with a, spray gun iny suchl a manner that the needle valve may be readily removed and replaced when An object ancillary to the foregoing is to construct a spray gun having needle valve adjusting mechanism of the aforementioned character which is in substantiallythe lsame proximity to the body of the gun in all positions of adjustment, and does not move in and. out relative to the body of the gun during adjustment of the needle valve.

It is a further object of my invention to afford a spray gun wherein air may be blown along the face of the nozzle head, transversely to certain orifices from which air is discharged from the spray gun to thereby sweep the paint off from that portion of the face of the nozzle head adjacent to the orifices in a novel and expeditious manner, and prevent the paint from accumulating thereon.

A further object is to efficiently seal ay spray gun from undesired air leakage.

Yet another object of my invention is to construct a spray gun which may easily be disassembled and assembled so that the gun may be quickly and lreadily cleaned both exteriorly and interiorly.

Yet a further object of my invention is to construct a spray gun which is simple and positive in operation and which can be economically manufactured commercially and will give long efficient service.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings'whioh, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sameor equivalent principles may be usedand structural changes may be made las desired by those4 skilled in the art without departingv from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

Inr the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional. view showing a spray gun embodying the principlesy of my invention, certain parts thereof being shown in elevation;

Fig.` 2 is a vdetail section-al View takensubstantially along theline 2-2 lin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail-sectionaly view taken subii'lmtially aiong the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view somewhat similar to Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail end elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the lines 1-1 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail Sectional View taken substantially along the line 8-8 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line Ill- I0 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the master control valve in a different regulating position; Y

Fig. l2 is a front elevational view of the nozzle head used on my gun;V

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line |3-I3 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a detail plan View of the spring washer used in the nozzle head of my gun; and

Fig. 15 is aside elevational view of the washer shown in Fig. 14.

General construction of the spray gun The gun 20 shown in the accompanying drawings embodies a body 22 having a handle 24 projecting from one end portion thereof and a nozzle head 26 attached to the other end thereof. The nozzle head 26 comprises an air discharge nozzle 28 and a liquid discharge nozzle 39, nozzle 26 being attached to a coupling member 32 by a collar 34, the coupling member 32 being attached to the body 22 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Air enters the gun 20 through a passage 35 in the handle 24 and ows through the handle 24, the body 22, and out through the nozzle head 25. When assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 1, wherein my novel gun 2D is connected to a paint container 31 which is not pressurized, the aspirating effect of the air being discharged from the nozzle head 26 is effective to cause coating materials, such as paint, to be drawn upV from a container 31 through a pipe 39 into the nozzle head 26 and to be discharged from the nozzle head 26. However, it will be understood that this assembly is shown only for the'purpose of i1- lustration of my invention and not by way of limitation, and that my gun 2l) may be equally as effectively connected to a paint supply wherefrom paint is fed to the gun under pressure. The paint so discharged from the nozzle head 26 intimately mixes with the stream of air being discharged therefrom and is thereby blown from the gun 20 in a controlled spray.

One portion of the air discharged from the nozzlehead 26 is discharged from a central air orifice 4|; 'another portion of the air is discharged through orices 43 and 44 formed in wings 46 and 41, respectively, on the outer nozzle 28 and acts to modify the stream of air emitted from the central orifice 4 I; and yet another portion of Athe air discharged from the nozzle head 26 is directed against the outer face of the wings 46 and 41, transversely to the nozzle openings 43 and 44 therein, and acts to keep the wingsvfree of paint which `otherwise might accumulate thereon, as Awill be made more apparent hereinafter.

Specific construction of the spray gun The air passage 35 extends from the free end 49 of the handle 24 substantially longitudinally into the handle 24 and terminates at its inner end portion in an air-inlet valve chamber 5|. The outer end portion of the air passage 35 is tapped to provide threads 52 therein into which a suitable threaded coupling member may be screwed, to attach an air hose or the like to the gun 20.

A valve housing 54 having a longitudinally extending opening 51 and four transversely extending openings 58a., 58D, 58C, and 58d, Figs. l and 10, is screwed into the valve chamber 5| 'wherein it seats against a shoulder 6|! formed valve housing 54 adjacent to the inner mouth of the air passage 51. The spindle 63, attached to the air valve 62 extends through a gland plug 61 screwed into the outer end portion of the valve housing 54. Gland packing 68 is positioned between the gland plug 61 and an inwardly extending collar 1l! in the valve housing 54 to form a seal around the spindle 63 against the leakage of air from the longitudinal passage 51 in the valve housing 54, and collar 69, mounted on the spindle 63, is urged against the packing 68 by a spring G9a mounted between the gland plug 61 and the collar 69, to thereby press the packing 68 against the collar 10. A compression spring 12 having one end portion engaged with the outer face of the air valve 62 and the other end portion thereof engaged with the inner surface of the handle 24 within a recess 13 formed therein, tends to normally maintain the valve 62 in engagement With the valve seat 65 on the valve housing 54 and thereby seal the connection between the air chamber 5| and the longitudinal passage 51 in the valve housing 54. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter the outer end portion of the spindle 63 engages a trigger 15 by which the spindle 63 and, therefore, the valve 62, may be moved inwardly to unseat the valve 62 from the valve seat 65 and thereby permit ilow of air from the air chamber 5| into the air passage 51 in the valve housing 54.

A second passageway 11, substantially parallel to the air passage 35, is formed in the handle 24 and extends substantially through the entire length thereof. 'I'he outer en portion of the passageway 11 in the handle/24 is tapped to provide threads 18 into which a suitable plug 18 may be screwed to seal this outer end portion of the passageway 11 against the escape of air therefrom. At the point where the passageway 11 intersects the air chamber 5I, the valve housing 54 is somewhat reduced in cross section so that a space 8| is provided between the valve housing 54 and the side walls of the air chamber 5| and the air passage 11, so that air flowing through the openings 58d-d may ow through the enlarged opening 8| around the valve housing 54 up into that portion of the air passage 11 thereabove.

From the valve housing 54 the air passage 1'! extends on ifntolthe handle 24 and intersects with another bore 83 formed transversely through screwed into the bore 83 and seats against a shoulder 80 formed therein;y A smooth Asleeve -88 screwed into the free end. is screwed onto the. sleeve housing 80 and a compression spring 05:

is mounted between the plug 94f`and the head 91 of the needle valve 9|v and tends to press the needle valve 9| outwardly from the sleeve 80;

At the point where the passageway 11 intersects the bore 83 in the handle 24, the sleeve housing 85 is reduced in cross section so that a space |00 isformed between the sleeve housingv 85' and the side walls of the bore 83 and the airl passage 11, so that air may pass through the space from that portion of the passageway 11 on one side of the sleeve housing 80 to that portion of the passageway 11 on the other side of the sleeve housing 85'.

From the sleeve housing 85 the passageway 1.1 extends. on through the handle 24 and intersectsV with anair passage |02 which extends substantially. longitudinally through'the body 22` ofY the gun 20:

Af master control valve |04 is mounted x in a bushing |05 screwed into one end portion of the air passage |02 and acts to control the ow of air-from the passage 111 into the passage |02l as will beA described in greater detail presently'.

' An air passage |01 extends substantially longitudinally through the interior end portion of the master control valve |04, and another vopening' |08*'extends transversely through, and is so positionedAin-the side wall ofthe master control valve |04 that when the control valve |04y is' inv operablel positioninV the air passage |02, the transverse passage |08 may be aligned with the passage 11 thereby permitting air to flow from the passage 11 through the transverse passage |00v and the longitudinal passage |01, intothe airl passage |02.

A collar |09, having splines Illia, ||0b, ||0c and |011 engaged with corresponding slots formed in the outer end portion of the control valve |04', isfnon-rotatably mounted on the outer end'portion of the control valve |04 -and isheldthereon bya'hollow retaining screw A thumb piece ||3 .projects transversely from the collar |09 and forms a convenient handle for rotating the control valve |04 in the bushing |05 to thereby'move thetransverse opening |00in the control valve |04 into or out of alignment with the passagewayv 11. The master control valve |04 fits snugly into thepassageway 02 and, therefore, it will lue-'apparent that when the control valve |04 is turned into positions, such as those shown in Figs. l., 4l,A l0 and 1l, wherein the transverse opening |08 therein is in either direct alignment or partial alignment with the passageway 11, air may ow from the passageway 11 through the transverse opening |08 in the-control valve |04 into the longitudinal opening |01 and on into the air passage |02. However, from. the foregoing it' will be apparent that when the valve |04 is rotated about its longitudinal axis to a position (not shown) 90 from the positionv shown in Figs. 1 and l0, the opening |00-therein is moved entirely out of alignment with. the passage 11 so. that the valve |04 eiectively'closes the connection between the passageway 11 and the passageway |02 and thereby prevents air from flowing therebetween. To effectively seal the control valve |04 against the leakage of, air therearound, thecontrol valve; 04 not onlyseats tightly. inxthe 6: airpa-ssage |02/ but also a suitable sealing member suchasv ano-ring ||5 is mounted betweenA a shoulder I2 formed onthe control valve |04 and; a vshoulder ||4 -in the air passage |02.

The hollow retaining screw screwed into the, outer end portion of the master control valve |04, holds a collar |20, on the inner end portion of za hollow adjusting plug |22, in engagement, with a shoulder |23 formed in the control mem-- ber |04. As is best seen in Figs. l, 4, 7 and 8, ther collar |20 on the hollow adjusting plug |22 has; a substantially oblong shaped opening extend-- ing therethrough, and which opening embraces az correspondingly oblong shaped end portion |25'E of a needle valve |21. The needle valve |21 eX- tends through the control valve |04 and the air passage |02 in the body 22, into an air passage |29 in the coupling member 32. The needle; valve |21 has threads I3! formed onone end por-- tion thereof which engage threads |32 formed in the control valve |04. The adjusting plugA |22? has a knurled knob |30A thereon by which the` adjusting plug |22 may be-turned to thereby rotatel the needle valve |21 and, through the engagement of the-threadsA |3 on the needle valve |210' with the threads |32 in the master control valve |04, either advance or retract the needle valve |21 toward or away from the passage |29 in the coupling member 32, to thereby vary the eifective size of the mouth |30` of they air passage |29 for purposes which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. A bowed washerv 35 is mounted on the adjusting plug |22 and frictionally engages the knurled knob |34 and the hollow retaining screw and thereby affords a frictional retaining member for holding the needle valve |21 in adjusted position.

The air which flows through the air passagek |02 in the body 22 of the spray grin 20, when the control valve |04 is turned in such position that the: transverse passage |00 therein is in alignment or partial alignment with the passageway 11, enters a passageway |30 in the coupling member 32, which passageway |30 s in alignment with thev passageway |02. From the passageway the air may flow through either one of two courses, or both. One of these courses is from the passageway |36 around the free end of the needle valve |21 into the passage 29, into a circular passage |40'in the coupling member 32, Figs. 4 and 13, and from there through any one of four slots |42a, |4213, |020 and |4201., Figs. 2 and 4, formed in the rear end portion of the air discharge nozzle 28, into an annular passage |43 formed between the liquid discharge nozzle 30 and the air discharge nozzle 29. From the annular passage 43 the air may ow through two passages |45 and |46 formed in the wings 4E and 41, respectively, in the air discharge nozzle 20, and outwardly from the passages |05 and |40 through the orices 43 and 44, respectively.

The other course for the air to ilow from the passageway |30 is into a passageway |00 extending through the coupling member in. substantially parallel alignment with the passageway |20, into a circular passageway formed in the coupling member 32, Figs. 4 13, and from the passageway |50 through one of three passageways |520... |5223, and |520, Figs. 2 and fi, in the liquid discharge nozzle into-anannular space |54 between the front end portion of the liquid discharge nozzle 30 and interior surface o'f the iront end'portion of the air discharge nozzle 28. From the annular space |50 the air may exit 'f from-the air discharge nozzle 23- through the cen;-

tral oriceV 4| and through auxiliary orifices |59w and `|51 for purposes which will be describedin greater detail hereinafter. v Y k Itl will be noted that, as best seen in Fig. l, the coupling member 32 of the nozzle head 29 has an opening |59 formed therein through which a screw |50 extends, the screw |80 being in threaded engagement with the body 22 of th spray gun 20 in a tapped opening V|62 provided therein. A nipple |64, having threads |65 formed thereon, extends through an opening |61 formed in a flange |68 on the body 22 of the gun 20 and is held therein by a nut |89. Therefore, it will be seen that when the coupling member 32 is mounted on the body 22 of the spray gun 28 it is securely held in position by the screw |50 and the nut |69.

The air discharge nozzle 28 is securely held on the outer end portion of the coupling member 32 by the collar 34 which has an inwardly extending flange |19 which engages an outwardly ex'- tending collar |11 formed on the inner end portion-of the air discharge nozzle 28, and which also has threads |19 which are operably engaged with corresponding threads |80 on the outer end portion of the coupling member 32 to 'thereby hold another flange |a on the collar 34 tightly against a spring washer |82, Figs. 2, 14 and l5, positioned between the outer end of the coupling member 32 and the flange |1la. exerted by the spring washer |82 tends rto frictionally hold the collar 34 in adjusted position on the coupling member 32.

The liquid discharge nozzle 30 has a liquid jet nozzle |84 formed in the central portion thereof, and this liquid nozzle 30 is positioned between the air discharge nozzle 28 and the coupling member 32 with the liquid jet |84 projecting outwardly through the central orice 4| formed in the air discharge nozzle 28. The liquid discharge nozzle 30 has a threaded nipple |88 which is screwed into threads formed in one leg |88 of an vL-shaped passage |89 in the'coupling member 32.

which, as is best shown in Fig. 1, are engageable i with complementary threads |91 formed on the free end portion of the coupling pipe S9 so that. as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, paint may flow from the container 81 through the pipe 39 into the leg |93 of the L-shaped passage |89 and out through the other leg |88 and the jet |84.

The trigger comprises a bifurcated levei` having a finger grip |99, Fig. l, and bifurcations and 202, Fig. 4. The bifurcations 29| and 202 extend up past opposite sides of the body 22 of the gun 20 and are pivotally attached thereto by any suitable means such as a bolt 204, the finger grip |99 of the trigger 15 extending downwardly therefrom and lying in front of the spindle 63 on the valve V32.

The needle valve 9| extends forwardly from the sleeve 88 through the space between the bifurcations 20| and 202, forwardly through the nipple |64 on the coupling member 32 into the The pressure leg |88 of the elbow-shaped passage |89, the tapered end portion 9|a of the needle valve 9| cooperating with the forward end portion of the liquid discharge nozzle 30, adjacent to the jet |84, to control the flow of coating material through the jet |84 in a manner which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The space between the nipple |64 and the needle valve 9| is sealed by gland packing 20B positioned within the nipple |64. A collar 2|0 is slidably mounted on the needle valve 9| within the nipple |94 and is urged against the packing 208 by one end of a spring 2| the other end of which presses against a gland nut 2|2 screwed onto the threads |65 of the nipple |54, and which is operable to be advanced onto the nipple |64 to push the spring 2| inwardly to thereby increase the pressure on the collar 2|0 and, therefore, the gland packing 208, whenever necessary. a

During a typical operation of my novel spray gun, the spray gun 20 is attached to an air hose or the like by a suitable coupling member screwed into the threads 52 in the passage 35, and compressed air is fed to the gun from the air hose attached to the passageway 35 in the handle 24. When it is desired to operate the gun, the trigger 15 is manually pulled or squeezed toward the handle 24, to the left as viewed in Fig. l, to thereby unseat the air valve 62 from the valve seat 65 and permit air to flow through the longitudinal opening 51 and the transverse openings 58d-d in the Valve housing 54, into the air Ipassage 11, through the space and, the master control valve |04'being turned into position where the transverse opening |08 therein is in at least partial alignment with the air passage 11, the air flows from the space |00 on through the passage 11, through the transverse opening |08, into the longitudinal opening |01 in the control valve |04, and from there out through the passage |02 in the body 22 into the passage |36 in the coupling member 32. As previously described, part ofthe air then flows from the passage |35` through the passage |50 through the passages |52a-c into the annular space |54 between the liquid nozzle 30 and the air nozzle 28 from whence it flows outwardly from the nozzle head 26 through the orifices 4|, |56 and |51. Although my novel gun maybe used in a system where paint, or other coating material, is fed to the gun under pressure, it is so constructed that it may also be used in systems where the paint is not fed under positive pressure, and for this purpose the construction of the gun 20 is such that the aspirating effect produced by the outward flow of the air through the central orifice 4| is sufficient to cause paint to be drawn up from the container 31 through the pipe 39 and the passage |89, and to be discharged fromV the jet |84 into the stream of air flowing from the central orifice 4|, where it is intimately mixed with the air in a fine spray and blown from the gun 20.I It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the atomizing effect of the stream of air flowing from the central orice 4| on the coating material flowing from the jet |84 will be realized in my novel gun, whether the coating material is fed under pressure or by aspiration, and that in both cases the air and coating material will be intimately mixed together in a fine spray.

Part of the air which enters the passage |36 ows between the tapered end portion |21a of the needle valve |21 and the mouth |30 of the passageway |29 into the passageway |29. From between thefair"` discharge nozzle j28 andv lliquid fdisch'argefnoz'zle 30. 'From theuannular from the ljet |84. l'The detailed '(constructin and operation of a. nozzlejto effect proper-'modification of the paint spray flowing `frcmfthejetj|^84 mixed with the air 'flowing frqm thefcentral forifce 4| is fully discussediin'thejco-pendingjjapplication of Burr W. Mantle, Serial Number 672,077, f11edfMayl24,`1`946,1ow Patent No; 2,511,- '356 `is'suearm June 1'3, 195o. l

I have found that during'the operation ofI a spray gun there is a Vt'en'der'icy'for a certainfportion of the paint'which passes outwardly '-f'r'om 'the jet |84 to swirl away fr'o'm the air stream passing 'from 'the 'central-orifice 4 Vand be thrown onto the adjac's'ent front 'surface ofv the nozzle head. 'In spray guns'v of the character with-which my invention is primarily concerned, wherein "orifices 'in the 'n'z'zle head, such -as the' orifices 43 and 44, are utilized to modify'thepaintspray issuing from the gun, the depositing of -'paint on adjacent front surfaces of the nozzle head is detrimental to the proper operation of 'the gun because it tends to" accumulate and cake thereon and eventually to alter the effective size "and Acharacteristics of the 'oricesthro'ugh which 'the modifying air flows. To' prevent this, I have provided the orifices |56 and |51 which are positioned in the front face of the air discharge nozzle 28 in such a manner that the air which ows therefromis directed against the front face of the wings 45 and 41 just inside the orifices' 43 'and 44 so that the air vstrea'missuing 'from the orifices |56 and |51 tendsto sw'eep 'off any paint which might be deposited on the wings 46 and 41 and which, if not removed, would alter'the effective size and the discharge characteristics of the orifices v43 and 44. Thus it will 'be seen that in my novel'gun 20, the orifices |56, |51 provide an effective Way of keeping theorices 43 and 44 free of accumulatedpaint and 'thereby assist in preventing undesirable alteration' of the operating characteristics of the gunby lthe accumulation of vpaint on' the wings l4B and' '41 during the operation thereof. l

Control of the' 'paint 'flow through the Vjet |84 Ais effected in part through control-'of the velocity `of the air issuing 'from 'the orice-4 I, andin'part vvthrough operation of the needle'valve'lll'by the trigger '15. For' this latter'control, shoulders, such as the'shoulders 2|8, Figs. l vand 4, lare formed on the bifurcations '20| and 202 of 'the trigger 15 'and' are engage'able with the free end portion of the sleeve '88. Thus it-will be seenthapt, 'the trigger 15'beingfat'allftimes in engagement with the spindle' es Von the' air valve 62, uprfdepression of the trigger'ltl toward "the, handlefn, the air valve '62"is first 'opened so-'that airfis 'permitted to flow from the passage 35'throughfthe gun v2li' and out through the centraljorifieel in the air nozzle 28, as' -previously described, and that upon further depression of :the' trigger the shoulder 2|`8 thereon engages'the fre'end yportion of the sleeve'and pushes 'thefs'lee've'i outwardly, or'to'the l'e'ft as 'viewed'fin Fig. l1.

Outward' movement -of vthe vsle'eve""88 'casesjthe :free end portion of 'the sleeve88"tofpress'against ing of the 'jet fthe head fr9r1'of 'therieedle valve 9|" and thereby twithdraw"the needlewvalvegSl from the 'j'et |84. 'It will lor- 3 apparent that'one 4if the controlling "factors indetermining the' amcunt of paint which 'ill'flow throufghthe jet |"84fis the sire of Ythe opening f through this 'jeu' and that the "position of V|';l"ie"'needle valve' 9| with'res'pect thereto is a 'ccntrolli'ng factor in'"deterr'nininr,r this.v \There "fie,'froin'the'fregoing' it will be apparent that, as the trigger is depressed towardthe handle 24, the needle valveSl is Withdrawn fre-m y the yknir'z'r`i`irig in thejet rso thattheeffective open- "IS'T: isje'nlargedf to permit a 'larger tity oii'nt'to flow therethrough, and, oo n- Wly, jas the y"trigger "15 is 'released by'the Voper-- "atorgthe spring' is `e'iiective to move thef'nee'dle tali/'el llfback tcward'thejet |84- to th'ereby"re l'strict 'the eifective'opening'of "the'jet |`84f`and thereby retard the 'o'w "of 'paint therethrough. itfwill'v be seen, lgives the 'operator lof my v`spray gun l a quick and easily operated control of the flow of'paint from the gun.

'The'rnaster control Valve flfkas will be apvp'are'nt't'c') those 1skilledin the art`may be readily adjusted by turning the thumb piece F| I3 to 'any position""be'ty'veen the position in which the passageway 'llis'comp'letely out of alignment with the passageway v11' and, therefore, no air is perrri-itted' to flew 'from 'the passageway 11 through Athe control valve |54,randthefposition, shwn'in vFigs. l and '1 0, whereinv the vtransverse passage |68 is in 'complete alignment with the passageway T 'and the control valve 'IM is conipletelyopen to perm'itfa ahaximuinfair'w th'erethr'oug'h'into the passageway` |02. Thus it will be seen vthat ftheraster conti-01 valve' fleav'may baasjes-ted to 'permit 'any desired amount of air-to how-.therethrough, and 'therebyprovides ange'iectivef'ni'eans for fre'gulaurigthepressure' or the compressed air reaching the needle -valve |21. "Also, 'itwillbe "seen'th'at' the lever '|13' by Which the' Inra-'Ster een.. 'trol valve""||l4"is ad'justed, 'is ina readily accessible position so that lthe -control 'valve' |54 may beeasily adjusted by the v'operator without interrupting operation of the spraygun Zilfbut does not 'project' anunde'sirable amount'from ,the body 22 offthe spray gun Sand' blends in 't'o the outlines of the body 22V so'as to be thereby''protected from'b'eing'knocked out vof adjusted'fpositi'on.

'While the 'master control Valve |94 provides mechanism for adjusting theflow/of air'to the vnozzle'head''ZG," the needle 'valve 21" 'provides ad- 'ditional valvemeehanisiri for `'thisp'wrpr'jse where- Abythe en@ adjustment'bf the air now-'through "theznozzle head 25 Inay'be accomplished. Thus it will be`appa'rent to those skilled vin the'art that by rotating f theknurled knob |34 inthe vproper ili'recti'on,l the needle vvalve '|121 iii-ay be screwed into oreut'o'f thefmaster cohtrolvalve "|04 tothereby adjust thepo's'itionof ythe 'needle valve 1 2r reiativeto'themuth 'lsc-'p'f'the passes@ 29 inthe 'coupling rn'ernlo'er" 32 v"and 'thereby lregulate the `modifying airstr'eain whichA ilwsfcit- 'wardly fromthe wings'4'6and 41 of thef'a'ir jdi'scharge nozzle 28 'through the 'orices '543 and y44. It'will be noted thatl while Ithe 'kurled llnc'i|c `l'|3i| yon the adjustingplug |22 is-in a readily'aecessible 'position saam-ay be readily'tiirhed by thel 015er,- Vatordurir'igoperati'dn ofnrn-y gun 2li to changeth'e 'setungof the needle-valve |21, it does' not project an undesirable f arount, and, like the'lever |13y blends in wellf'withf'the outlinesf the body22 so asttoibe prete t'e'd frbmfbeng, laceid'ei'ita'lly knocked 'outof position during operationof'the gun 20. Moreoven it will be noted that in adjusting' the needle valve 121, the knuried knob |34 and the adjusting plug |22 are merely rotated on their longitudinal axis and do not move longitudinally of the body 22 of the gun 26, so that this same desirable position of the knurled knob |34 longitudinally of the barrel 22 is maintained for all positions of adjustment of the needle valve |21. This represents a substantial improvement over the spray guns heretofore known to the prior art.

As was previously mentioned, the opening 89 in the sleeve 88 through which the needle valve 9| extends is preferably of relatively considerably greater diameter than the diameter of the needle valve 9|. This being true it will be apparent that the needle valve 9| may be swiveled in any direction, and to any extent, within the confines of the walls of the opening 89.

Heretofore in the art, coring and machining of openings such as the openings 83 and |61 has presented a serious problem because, although these openings were in two separated members they had to be relatively accurately aligned so that the needle valves heretofore known could be properly inserted therein. However, in my spray gun 29, because of the novel manner in which I mount my needle Valve 9|, the needle valve may be swiveled suiciently that the openings 83 and |61 need be aligned only within relatively broad limits, which are readily obtained in production, in order to properly position the needle valve 9| therein and need not be aligned within the relatively narrow limits which were heretofore necessary and difcult to obtain- Relatively fine adjustment of the position of the needle valve 9| relative to the jet |84 may be effected by screwing the collar 93 onto and off from the sleeve housing B to thereby vary the compression of the spring 96. It will be apparent that this adjustment is also effective to control the extent to which.the needle valve 9| can be withdrawn from the jet |84 by operation of the trigger 75, the movement of the collar 93 onto or off from the housing 85 correspondingly moving the plug 94 to thereby vary the position at which the plug 94 will strike the outer end of the sleeve 88.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the opening 89 in the sleeve 88 may be considerably larger than the diameter of the needle valve 9| and the needle valve 9| can float therein, so as to automatically adjust itself for misalignment which may occur in the body of the needle valve 9|. Also it will be apparent that to change the needle valve 9|, all that is necessary is to unscrew the collar 93 from the sleeve housing 85 and pull out the sleeve 98 together with the needle valve 9|, the plug 94 then being removed from the collar 93 the compression spring 96 then being removed from the sleeve 88 and the sleeve 88 inverted, and the needle valve 9| permitted to drop therefrom. A new needle valve 9| may then be inserted into position in the sleeve 88 and the needle valve 9| and the sleeve 88 pushed into position in the sleeve housing 85, the compression spring 96 reinserted into the sleeve 88, the plug 94 screwed back into the collar 93, and the collar 93 screwed back onto the sleeve housing 85. Thus it will be seen that removal and replacement of the needle valve 9| is a relatively simple operation in my novel spray gun 26.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of my novel spray gun,

vit* will beapparent to those Vskilled in the art lthat-I have provided a lightweight, practical spray gun which is both positive and eicient in operation andwhich can be economically manufactured commercially, all of the internal openings therein beingV formed by the simplest types of coring and drilling operations or the like.

Furthermore, itwillbe noted that my spray gun is efficiently sealed against undesirable air leaks and that the various valves thereof are held positioned so as to be readily accessible to the operator but also so as to be protected from being accidentally knocked out of adjustment.

Furthermore, it will be noted that the nozzle head of my spray gun is so associated with the body of the gun that it may be readily adjusted by the operator during operation ofthe gun to Vary the position ofV the spray issuing from the gun so as to render it unnecessary to twist and turn the gun to accomplish this.

Thus while I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a spray gun, a nozzle head adapted to pass coating material therethrough, means for feeding coating material to said nozzle, a sleeve, a needle valve for controlling the flow of coating material through said nozzle head, resilient Ameans within said sleeve for swivelly mounting said needle valve in said sleeve and in position to urge said sleeve toward said nozzle head, and means for reciprocating said sleeve to thereby move said needle valve relative to said nozzle head.

2. In a spray gun, means including a nozzle head for feeding coatingv material therethrough, a handle connected to said nozzle head, an elongated sleeve slidably mounted in said handle for reciprocation therein in a longitudinal direction toward and away from said nozzle head, a spring mounted in said sleeve and yieldingly urging said sleeve toward said nozzle head, an elongated needle valve mounted in said nozzle head for controlling the feeding of coating material therethrough, said needle valve being operatively connected to said sleeve and transversely swivelable relative thereto, and means including said spring for reciprocating said sleeve in said handle and thereby reciprocating said needle valve relative to said nozzle head.

3. In a spray gun, means including a nozzle head for feeding coating material therethrough, a handle connected to said nozzle head, an elongated sleeve slidably mounted in said handle for reciprocation therein in a longitudinal direction toward and away from said vnozzle head, an elongated needle valve for controlling the feeding of coating material through said nozzle head, said needle valve having one end portion reciprocably mounted in said nozzle head and the other end portion thereof operatively connected to, and swivelly mounted in, one end portion of said sleeve for swivelling movement in all directions relative to said sleeve, said sleeve being operable upon reciprocatory movement away from said nozzle head to pull said needle valve in a direction away from said nozzle head, a spring mounted in said sleeve and engaged with said needle valve and yieldingly urging said sleeve 13 and needle valve toward said nozzle head, and means engageable with said sleeve for moving said sleeve away from said nozzle head to thereby move said needle valve in a direction away from said nozzle head.

WILLIAM P. DALRYMPLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,362,228 Cleveland Dec. 14, 1920 1,650,686 Binks Nov. 29, 1927 1,698,945 Driscoll Jan. 15, 1929 All Number 

